Clamping device for lens-fronts of cameras.



No. 801,078. PATENTED OCT. '3, 1905. J. GODDARD.

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR LENS FRONTS 0F CAMERAS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GODDARD, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SENECA CAMERA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEIV YORK.

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR LENS-FRONTS OF CAMERAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed February 1'7, 1905. Serial No. 246,109.

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that .I, J OSEPH GODDARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clamping Devices for Lens-Fronts of Cameras, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clamping devices for lens-fronts of cameras intended to clamp the lens-front to the runway or guide at any point of desired adjustment of the lens-front thereon; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, eeonon1 ical, and thoroughly eiiicient clamping device for this purpose.

To the end stated the invention consists in the combination of a lens-front and runway therefor and a clamping device constructed, combined, and arranged as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the appended clauses of claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating in conventional form a camera-bed, lens-front guide or runway, lens-front, and camera-box with my improved clamping device combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the bed, runway, and clamping device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the plate in which the clamping device is mounted with the clamping-fingers detached therefrom.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates conventionally a camera-box, and 2 a camera-bed.

8 designates a runway or guide of any of the usual types.

4: designates the lens-front, and 5 a baseplate secured thereto which travels on the runway or guide in the different adjustments of the lens-front; This plate might well be constructed integrally with the lens front frame, if desired.

Fulcrumed in elongated slots 6, provided in the lateral extension or flange? of said plate, are a pair of clamping elements or lingers 8. These elements or fingers comprise a hooklike portion 9, projecting through the lateral flange or extension of the plate 5, adapted to frictionally engage in an efficient manner the edges of the runway or guide 3, and relatively long lever or grasping portions 10, exposed for manipulation by the user of the camera.

Interposed between the lever or grasping portions 10 of the clamping fingers is a spring 11 of suitable type (that shown in the drawings being a bent leaf-spring) secured intermediate its ends to the lateral extension 7 of the plate 5, the free ends or extremities of said spring engaging with spring force or tension the free exposed ends of the clampingiingers. Preferably for the purpose of properly supporting the clamping-fingers in the lateral extension 7 of the plate 5 said fingers are enlarged, as at 12, immediately above the hook-like portions 9 of said fingers, the enlarged portion resting upon the lateral extension of the plate, as shown.

The clamping device for lens-fronts of my invention is of extremely simple and economical construction, of few parts, readily assembled, and very efficient in operation. The use thereof is extremely simple, the photographer when desiring to adjust the position of the lens-front grasping the free exposed grasping or lever portions of the clamping-fingers between the thumb and finger and pressing them toward each other almost intuitively, and while so grasped moving the lens-front forward or backward on the runway or guide, and when the desired position thereof has .been attained releasing the grasp upon said fingers, the hook or gripping ends of which automatically under the action of the spring engage the edges of the runway or guide and clamp and maintain the lens-front in the adjusted position. The operation is one easily understood and practically intuitive, and the mechanism thereof is certain and efficient in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a camera, the combination with a lens-front having an extension provided with slots, of a clamping device adapted to clamp and hold the lens-front in adjusted position upon the runway or guide of the camera-bed, said clamping device comprising a pair of clamping-fingers fulcrumed in the slots of the extension of the lens-front and having hooklike portions adapted to engage the runway or guide, and lever or grasping portions exposed for manipulation, and a spring interposed between said clamping fingers and adapted automatically to cause the hook-like engaging portions of said fingers to engage the runvay or guide.

2. In a camera, the combination with a lens-front, having an extension provided with slots, of a clamping device adapted to clamp and hold the lens-front in adjusted position upon the runway or guide of the camera-bed, said clamping device comprising a pair of clamping-fingers 'fulcrumed in the slots of the extension of the lens-front and having hooklilze portions adapted to engage the runway or guide, and lever or grasping portions exposed for manipulation, and a spring interposed between said clam ping-lingers and hearing against the lever or grasping portions of said lingers, and adapted automatically to cause thehook-like engaging portions of said fingers to engage the runway or guide.

3. In a camera, the combination with a lens-front, of a clamping device adapted to clamp and hold the lens-front in adjusted po sition upon the runway or guide of the camera-bed, said clamping device comprising a pair of clamping-lingers fulcrumed in an extension of the lens-front and having hooklike portions adapted to engage the runway or guide and lever or grasping portions exposed l or manipulation, and a leaf-spring interposed between said clamping-lingers, secured intermediate its ends to the extension of the lens-front and the free ends or extremities thereof engaging with the lever or grasping portions of the clamping-lingers to automatically cause the hook-like portions of said lingers to engage the runway or guide.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH GODDARD. \Vitnesses:

GEORGE GAGNIER, F. K. TOWNSEND. 

